The Netherlands successfully defended their women's Olympic title by beating Argentina 2–0 at the Riverbank Arena to spoil the Argentina captain Luciana Aymar's farewell to international hockey on her 35th birthday.

Olympic gold is the only medal the South American playmaker and seven-time world player of the year has not won and she admitted victory in the final would give her "eternal glory".

However, arguably the greatest player in the history of the women's game bowed out having won two silvers and two bronzes in her four Olympic appearances.

A cagey game was settled midway through the second half as the Netherlands scored two penalty corner goals in relatively quick succession from Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel and their captain, Maartje Paumen.

Argentina, the world champions, could not find a way back into the game as the Netherlands collected the third Olympic gold in their history.